Product Blog

I recently read some interesting research done on a variety of essential oils. The Journal of Food Safety reported that oregano and cinnamon have the best resistance to certain kinds of pathogens.

Researchers tested an experimental tomato-based film infused with essential oils to be used in various food packaging to ward against bacteria like e-coli, salmonella, and listeria. The study showed out of all the oils tested oregano and cinnamon had the best results in eliminating these dangerous bacteria on contact in vapor form. Researchers also tested clove and garlic essential oils with good results. Clove, as you know, is a key ingredient in Young Living’s Thieves® products.

Below are PDF links to the essential oil research:

• Spices and antimicrobial activities
• Spice essential oils in tomato films

Another recent study cited in the New York Times showed that cinnamon oil has antiseptic properties. View the entire article here.

If you haven’t tried Young Living Therapeutic Grade oregano, cinnamon, and clove essential oil, now is the time to discover their amazing benefits!

—Toby Palmer
Product Marketing

Sue Chao, director of Young Living’s Quality Control Laboratory, has been working with Gary Young for more than a decade studying the chemical compositions of essential oils. I recently listened to her lecture about one of her latest experiments studying the effects of essential oils on methicillin-resistant staphylococcus, or MRSA.

MRSA is an infection caused by a bacteria often referred to as “staff.” Most MRSA infections occur in healthcare settings such as hospitals and nursing homes. This general type of bacteria is resistant to many antibiotics and can be fatal to those with weakened immune symptoms.

Sue’s explained that there are many types of MRSA bacteria, and her study focused on Staphylococcus aureus. During her study, Sue grew these bacteria in dozens of Petri dishes. Once the bacteria were visible in the dish, Sue placed a few drops of oil on a piece of paper and placed the diffuser in the middle of the culture. Sue repeated this experiment with 91 single essential oils and 64 Young Living blends.

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Last week I walked into our laboratory and found Marc Schreuder (Director of Product Formulation) and Mary Lou Jacobson (Director of Purchasing) talking about an experience they had earlier that day. They told me Hiroko, a Young Living independent business consultant, had traveled to Young Living’s facilities to verify a range of quality control procedures (such as sourcing and shipping). Hiroko also wanted to personally visit the chemistry and research laboratories. She had heard rumors that Young Living was cutting corners when producing certain essential oil.

Mary Lou walked her through the Young Living Therapeutic Grade™ process that we apply to every one of our oils. This includes cultivating or sourcing the best plants, preparing the harvest with exact distilling processes, and testing each batch to make sure the optimal amounts of the natural-occurring constituents are present. Mary Lou told Hiroko that no other essential oil company shows as much concern and care over its products than Young Living. No one has more experience growing and distilling essential oils. No one in the essential oil industry takes the time to travel across the globe to personally inspect partner distillery processes. And no one has the laboratory experience needed to properly test each batch of essential oil.

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For the month of March, Young Living is all about bringing back the uplifting, fresh scent of lemon essential oil! You’ll never run out of ways to use this multipurpose essential oil, from cooking and cleaning to creating a fresh atmosphere in your home. Lemon is so versatile that you’ll quickly find you can’t go a day without it!

Here’s what Young Living Independent Distributor Eshinee Smallwood has to say about this amazing oil:

“My husband and I like to travel with the top down on our convertible. This usually leaves a greasy film on the inside of our windshield. Last night, after a day of top-down driving, we realized that the film was making it impossible to see clearly in the headlights of oncoming traffic. We pulled over at a gas station to wipe the window with a cloth, which actually made things worse. Remembering lemon essential oil’s ability to cut grease, I put a few drop on my palms and smeared the inside of the windshield with it. Rubbing with the cloth to remove the oil, we were thankful to see that the greasy film was gone, and it was safe for us to get back on the freeway.”

Last month Gary Young invited a group of distributors and employees to help harvest balsam fir trees at Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho, as part of the essential oil distillation process (Listen to Gary’s experience here). Many of you who weren’t able to participate have asked about balsam fir and how it’s used as an essential oil. I hope this information is both enlightening and helps answer some of your questions:

Balsam fir looks much like a typical conifer tree—similar to something you’d buy at a Christmas tree lot. During a balsam fir winter harvest, the entire tree is cut and delicately distilled. You probably won’t be surprised to learn that Gary is very particular when it comes to growing and distilling balsam fir essential oil. That’s why he selects his own trees and personally oversees the harvest and distillation process. What better way to ensure maximum purity and potency (read more about the Young Living Therapeutic Grade™ standard) than having one of the world’s leading distillation experts present?

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